I.    Definition of Catastrophic Incident

  • Sudden Death of a Student Athlete, Coach or Staff Member
    • Death during competition, practice or conditioning
    • Death during travel, College related or personal.
    • Non-athletic accidents (e.g. fall at home)
    • Unknown medical problems (e.g. heart attack, stroke)
    • Victim of a crime – homicide.
    • Suicide.
  • Quality-of-Life Altering and Disabling Injuries
    • Either during a Juniata College Athletics Department participation and/or travel, or during non-athletic activities.
    • Spinal cord injury – resulting in paralysis.
    • Loss of Paired Organ
    • Severe Head Injury
    • Injury resulting in severely diminished mental capacity or other neurological trauma that results in inability to perform daily functions (e.g. coma, concussion)
    • Irrecoverable loss of speech, hearing (both ears), sight (both eyes), either or both arms or legs.

II.    Catastrophic Injury Management Group for Athletics

  • Director of Athletics
  • Head Athletic Trainer
  • SID
  • Dean of Students
  • College Chaplain
  • Faculty Athletics Representative
  • Director of Residential Life
  • Additional personnel as deemed appropriate by the Management Group

III.    Immediate Action Plan

The following action plan will appropriately outline steps to manage a catastrophic incident.  Point person for immediate action can be AD, Assistant AD, SWA, Head Trainer, Game Manager or SID.  While applying these steps, Juniata College Athletics Department Personnel will keep in mind the following:

  • Immediate communication with: 
    • Police, Ambulance (911; 911-2 on ROLMphone)
    • Juniata Security Emergency (641-3636)
    • Dean of Students (814-641-3152; 643-4001) or Dean on Duty (1-800-512-2200 beeper #)
    • College Spokesperson (814-641-3131; 643-4623; 946-5349)
    • Director of Athletics (814-641-3512, 643-0990, 506-5060)
  • Obtain all pertinent facts regarding the catastrophic incident accurately and expeditiously.
  • Accurately and immediately document all events; especially list all participants and witnesses.
  • Secure any or all materials/equipment involved (helmets, sticks, cables, etc).
  • Respect the dignity of all the individuals involved including anxious parents and family who may be on site.
  • All questions from the press or outside groups should be directed to the college spokesperson (Michelle Corby or John Wall) at the above phone numbers.
  • Either the Dean or the Provost should notify off-site parents/family.
  • Instruct student-athletes that they are not to speak to anyone regarding the incident.

IV.    Chain of Command and Responsibilities

  • Director of Athletics (or SWA/Assistant AD in absence of AD)
    • Notifies or is notified of a Catastrophic Incident.
    • Notifies Dean of Students (or Dean on Duty),
    • Notifies College Chaplain, College Counselor, College Spokesperson, Campus Security, Faculty Athletic Representative, SID and Director of Residential Life.
    • In the event that the Catastrophic Injury is non-athletic, notifies the Head Coach.
    • Facilitate efforts of counseling services (for team, coaches staff), and Chaplain.
  • Dean of Students (or Assistant Dean or Dean on Duty)
    • Notifies Provost
    • Notifies President
    • Notifies Family 
    • Notifies Director of Human Resources
    • Speaks with College Spokesperson
    • Coordinates with Legal Counsel.
    • Enact any Catastrophic Incident procedures for Juniata College Administration
    • Instruct appropriate departments and individuals to organize and gather incident facts.
  • Head Trainer
    • Notifies Director of Athletics, Team Physician, Training Room Staff and the College Risk Management Specialist.
    • Coordinates, along with Team Physician, communication with any physicians involved in the catastrophic incident medical care (HIPPA Law).
    • Coordinates with College Risk Management Specialist who immediately notifies the Juniata College Insurance Carrier and works with any other applicable insurance carriers.
    • Notifies NCAA Catastrophic Injury Service Insurance Carrier.
    • Communicates with the Team Physician and Director of Athletics on medical events and facts.
    • Communicates with medical personnel, local hospital or other medical facilities regarding medical facts of catastrophic incident.
    • Coordinate activation of 911 and directing ambulance or Life Flight to appropriate location and entrances.   
  • Juniata College Athletics Staff
    • SID – Coordinates any media release with College Spokesperson, Dean of Students, AD, Head Trainer and Team Physician.  No release can be made until Parents/guardians are informed.
    • Administrative Assistants – Coordinate any travel plans and housing arrangements for parents, staff, coaches or team.
    • Faculty Athletics Representative – notifies faculty of incident and impact on specific professors; serves as faculty liaison for the Athletic Department.
    • Compliance Coordinator – will provide guidance regarding payment of incidental expenses and interpretive support relating to any NCAA regulations.
    • All - Be available to assist the Management Group.
  • Coaching, Event Management and Support Staff
    • Immediately Notify Head Athletic Trainer, SID, and Director of Athletics.
    • Follow Immediate Action Plan.
    • Encourage Student Athletes to immediately record their recollection of the incident but not to discuss it until cleared to do so by the College Spokesperson.
    • Support student-athletes and facilitate the above guidelines.
    • Be available to assist the Management Group.
  • Counseling Services
    • Publicize call-in number.
    • On call 24 hours daily.
    • Active Team of professionals to provide immediate grief counseling to students, student-athletes, coaches and staff.
    • Provide any follow-up counseling post-incident to student-athletes, students, coaches and staff.
  • Director of Residential Life
    • Coordinates communication with appropriate RD, RA, and/or Roommates
    • Facilitates communication between College Chaplain, Counselor and selected students.
  • College Chaplain
    • Offer immediate assistance as appropriate and requested.
    • Notify appropriate clergy.
    • Arrange for any on-campus memorial service.

V.    Criminal Circumstances (Assault, Homicide, Suicide).

  • Juniata College Security notified immediately of Catastrophic Incident involving possible criminal activity.
  • College Security follows established protocol in working with other law enforcement agencies.
  • Security is the primary contact with Management Group.

VI.   Catastrophic Circumstance at an Away Contest (Head Coach or Athletic Trainer).

  • Immediately notify Director of Athletics and Head Trainer of Catastrophic Incident.
  • Work with local hospital, sports medicine staff, athletics department (or police in case of criminal circumstances) to assist in the process and gather information to update the AD and/or Head Trainer.
  • The Head Coach remains on site and remains there after the team departs to coordinate communication/arrangements with college administration until relieved by an appropriate Juniata College Representative.

VII.    Summary Chronicle

  • A detailed written summary in the best possible order of events will be prepared following any catastrophic incident.  This is to identify and explain the activities of those who participated in and responded to the incident.
  • Provide copy of this document the College Risk Management Specialist.
  • This chronicle will also be used to critique the process, its effectiveness and as the basis for a review of these procedures.

VIII.    Key Phone Numbers

Title      Name     Office      Home      Cell

Director of Athletics    Larry Bock    814-641-3512   643-0990  506-5060

SWA   Caroline Gillich   814-641-3519   644-6673     251-2611

Assistant AD    Greg Curley    814-641-3521  644-0475  599-8128

Assistant AD  Scott McKenzie  814-641-3503  643-1147  251-4977

Assistant AD, SID  Pete Lefresne   814-641-3134  717-483-9941  644-9360

Head Trainer   Jeff Leydig   814-641-3516  832-2745  832-2745

Assistant Trainer  Dodie Edwards   814-641-3516  599-9408  599-9408             

Dean of Students  Kris Clarkson   814-641-3152  643-4001   386-4646

Assistant Dean  Dan Cook-Huffman  814-641-3151  658-2323  599-6888

Director- Residential Life  Tim Launtz  814-641-3322  643-2087  506-4515

Campus Chaplain  David Witkovsky  814-641-3360  644-0767  599-4734

Director of Security    Rocco Panosetti  814-641-3162  447-3681             

Dir – Media Relations   John Wall 814-641-3132  946-5349

Faculty Representative  Grace Fala   814-641-3467

Provost  Jim Lakso  814-641-3121  643-4054  386-1774

President    Tom Kepple  814-641-3135  643-6922  386-0800

Counselor  Beth Williams  814-641-3353  643-1172                             

Risk Mgmt. Specialist  Beverly Simpson  814-641-3192   643-3623

Dir – Human Resources  Gail Ulrich  814-641-3194  641-7519

NCAA Catastrophic Injury Service Line        -     800-245-2744

Security           -               814-641-3636

State Police     -               814-627-3161

Local Police     -               911 or 911-2 (ROLMphone)